Results 2,241-2,260 of 2,414 for speaker:Fintan Warfield

Seanad: Order of Business (27 Jun 2017)

Fintan Warfield: I welcome the amendment from Senator Paul Gavan, which I second. I am also proud to co-sign the Bill. I rise to discuss another Bill dealing with people who are 16. On 29 March we initiated a Second Stage debate on the Electoral (Amendment) (Voting at 16) Bill 2016. The Government made a decision that week to delay the Bill so a Second Reading would take place in 2018. The Minister of...

Seanad: National Minimum Wage (Removal of Sub-minimum Rates of Pay) Bill 2017: First Stage (27 Jun 2017)

Fintan Warfield: I second the proposal.

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Jun 2017)

Fintan Warfield: I wish all Members a happy pride week. The Dublin Pride Parade will take place on Saturday and other pride parades will take place across Ireland. This summer, many of those participating in the Dublin pride festival will remember the homophobic murder of Declan Flynn in 1982. The LGBT community continue to march against discrimination persecution with visibility and pride. Last year's...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: School Admissions (21 Jun 2017)

Fintan Warfield: I thank the Minister for joining me for this conversation. The Joint Committee on Education and Skills has released its report on the Equal Status (Admission to Schools) Bill in which it calls for an end to the baptism barrier. It shows there is ever growing cross-political support for an end to this law. Does the Minister have a response to the report and its recommendations and will he...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: School Admissions (21 Jun 2017)

Fintan Warfield: I am encouraged that the Minister favours change in this area. The Migrant Rights Centre of Ireland, in its submission to the consultation, said that contemporary Ireland is one of the most diverse countries in Europe, with over 16% of the population being foreign-born and over a quarter of children being born to at least one foreign parent but discriminatory practices such as the baptism...

Seanad: Central Bank and Financial Services Authority of Ireland (Amendment) Bill 2014: Second Stage (21 Jun 2017)

Fintan Warfield: I welcome the Minister of State to the House and join with other Senators in congratulating him on his appointment to his new position. I wish him all the best. I welcome my comrade and colleague, Deputy Pearse Doherty, to the House. I also welcome this Bill as the beginning of a change in the relationship between consumers and financial institutions. We must not forget that consumers are...

Seanad: Adoption (Amendment) Bill 2016: Report and Final Stages (13 Jun 2017)

Fintan Warfield: I second the amendment.

Seanad: Adoption (Amendment) Bill 2016: Report and Final Stages (13 Jun 2017)

Fintan Warfield: I move amendment No. 15:In page 13, between lines 35 and 36, to insert the following:"13. (1) Section 23 shall not generally apply to persons who, at the date of the adoption order, were more than 18 years of age, however, the Adoption Authority may waive this requirement if they believe it is in the best interests of the person for whom an adoption is being sought. (2) The Adoption...

Seanad: Adoption (Amendment) Bill 2016: Report and Final Stages (13 Jun 2017)

Fintan Warfield: This amendment would give the subject of an adoption and the family some leeway, at the discretion of the Adoption Authority of Ireland. I do not ask for the removal of the upper age to be considered, although there are certain provisions to that effect in some jurisdictions. It probably seems to be counterintuitive to some that adoption should be possible after the age of 18 years, but the...

Seanad: Proposed Sale of AIB Shares: Statements (31 May 2017)

Fintan Warfield: To reiterate, I believe, and Sinn Féin believes, that the proposed sale of AIB should be abandoned. Selling AIB is the wrong decision. The Oireachtas is nothing without the people. The Oireachtas should vote on this sale because the people will not benefit from it. The people spent €20 billion bailing out this bank. We should think about the limited powers that we have as...

Seanad: Order of Business (30 May 2017)

Fintan Warfield: I second the amendment proposed by Senator Norris on behalf of Senator Boyhan. An opinion piece in yesterday's thejournal.ie,written by a law lecturer in NUI Galway, Dr. Brian Tobin, highlighted the fact we still do not have crucial parental rights for same-sex married couples. The article showed how parental rights conferred by the passing of civil marriage equality and the Children and...

Seanad: Order of Business (24 May 2017)

Fintan Warfield: Members of Aosdána have criticised the Arts Council for failing to properly consult those members of Aosdána. For clarity on the issue, I refer to a letter written by Colm Tóibín to the Arts Council in which the artist makes clear that the letter is for public consumption and is not confidential. Colm Tóibín states, "I notice that the council wishes to change...

Seanad: Order of Business (24 May 2017)

Fintan Warfield: Apologies, I will finish on this. In a response, the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Deputy Heather Humphreys, has adopted a hands-off approach to this. It is crucial that the Arts Council proceed with a sense of justice and with wisdom, decency and a clear understanding of the realities facing artists, in this instances, older artists. I am asking for...

Seanad: Order of Business (23 May 2017)

Fintan Warfield: I join with Senators Norris and McDowell in commending the work carried out by the Gay and Lesbian Equality Network, GLEN, since 1988. Its closure last week means that a colossus of the LGBTQI movement in Ireland has now been lost. Since its inception following the homophobic and brutal murder of Declan Flynn in Fairview Park, GLEN initiated Ireland's first Pride parade, was pivotal in...

Seanad: Public Service Broadcasting: Statements (23 May 2017)

Fintan Warfield: RTE is a national asset and I would like to see an RTE that we could all be proud it. With some exceptions, I do not engage with it as much as I could or should. As it stands, I often believe that RTE is broadcasting a single vision of Ireland. I tend to engage with TG4's programming. Although with some exceptions, RTE's programmes, such as Raidió na Gaeltachta's "An Taobh Tuathail"...

Seanad: Order of Business (17 May 2017)

Fintan Warfield: I have a great deal of sympathy for the issue raised by Senator Ray Butler, and commend him on his campaign. I spoke yesterday on the issue of Seanad reform and the need for this House to be a modern and effective Chamber.

Seanad: Order of Business (17 May 2017)

Fintan Warfield: I am afraid so. This must be a priority for this House and Sinn Féin is clear on what this House should look like. It should have direct election by way of a universal franchise for all citizens on the same day as a Dáil vote, Northern representation, representation from across the diaspora, 50% representation of women and representation of traditionally marginalised groups in...

Seanad: Order of Business (17 May 2017)

Fintan Warfield: What about my proposal regarding the letter?

Seanad: Adoption (Information and Tracing) Bill 2016: Second Stage (17 May 2017)

Fintan Warfield: I will be brief in an attempt to make space for others. I thank the Minister for joining us in the House. Information and tracing for our adoption services have been long sought by natural mothers who have been wronged and by adopted people who are seeking truth and justice. I commend the Minister's movement on the issue. It is made even more poignant after the revelations in March of the...

Seanad: Order of Business (16 May 2017)

Fintan Warfield: Eleven months ago, First Stage of the Seanad Bill 2016 was taken in the House and seven months ago, Second Stage was passed. While I do not support every aspect of the legislation, Sinn Féin believes it is of the utmost importance that Seanad reform be prioritised. It is no longer acceptable for this House to be exclusive, unrepresentative and unaccountable. We can and must do better....